Assistant Principal / SENCO Location: Thames Valley School, Reading Basis: Full time (Directed Hours: 35 hours/week, 39 weeks/year) Salary: Leadership Scale L1 – L6 (c £49 – 56 k), depending on experience Thames Valley School helps autistic students build on their strengths and learn with confidence, independence and enjoyment. Our aim is to respond to the needs of each of our students, helping them to grow in confidence, enjoy school and achieve success. We work to ensure access to learning that meets existing and future needs of all students and prepares them for college, work and adult life. As Assistant Principal / SENCO, you will be responsible for the management of our pupils’ special education needs and ensuring their needs listed within their Educational Health Care Plans (EHCP’s) are considered. You will support staff in all roles to provide highly specialist support. You will use your experience to advise, negotiate, advocate and champion the needs of our pupils. You will liaise with the Principal, Trans-Disciplinary Team Lead and school therapists to ensure support for pupils ensures progress against EHC plans. You will also work with SENCOs in other schools and build partnerships and networks both inside and outside of the Trust. In this way, the post offers career progression and personal growth. You will be an experienced, skilled and suitably qualified educationalist, who can demonstrate strong leadership qualities, including those of innovation and vision. You will be passionate about developing best practice in your school and be self-motivated to continually update your knowledge and ensure practice in the school is informed by evidence and research. Our success depends on our skilled and dedicated staff. We offer a competitive salary and pension, as well as a range of benefits and a focus on staff well-being. More importantly, we offer the opportunity to play a part in highly rewarding work, as part of an ambitious and supportive team. Responsibilities Under the direction of the Principal and in liaison with the Trust’s wider team, the Assistant Principal / SENCO will: · Play a key role in the strategic development of special educational needs (SEN) policy and provision in the school. · Be responsible for day-to-day operation of the SEN policy and co-ordination of specific provision to support individual pupils with SEN or a disability. · Provide professional guidance to colleagues, working closely with staff, parents and other agencies. · Fulfill the responsibilities of a teacher, as set out in the STPCD. Strategic Development of SEN Policy and Provision · Have a strategic overview of provision for pupils with SEN or a disability across the school. · Contribute to school self-evaluation. · Maintain up-to-date knowledge of national and local initiatives that may affect the school’s policy and practice. · Promote an ethos and culture that supports the school’s SEN policy and promotes good outcomes for all pupils. Operation of the SEN Policy and Co-ordination of Provision · Work collaboratively with the Principal and relevant strategic leads, taking lead responsibility for promoting educational outcomes through an understanding of the needs of our pupils. · Manage the Education, Health and Care review process for pupils within the school and co-ordinate the assessment and referrals process for new pupils. · Support with the admissions and referrals process, including assessing pupil suitability and processing referral paperwork. · Enable effective transition through careful planning, monitoring and identifying pathways for future education or employment. · Undertake on-going coordination, monitoring and review of EHC plans and assessment processes to achieve stated objectives and outcomes in relation to the needs of pupils. · Engage in partnership working to find ways of meeting the needs of pupils in a creative, outcome focused way. · Maintain an accurate SEND register and provision map. · Liaise with staff, parents, external agencies and other schools to co-ordinate their contribution, provide maximum support and ensure continuity of provision. Advice and Support · Work with the Principal and staff to develop effective ways of bridging barriers to learning through assessment of needs, target setting and measuring progress. · Be a lead professional in SEN meetings and provide timely written and verbal feedback to relevant stakeholders. · Disseminate good practice and provide training opportunities for staff within the school. Other · Effective line management of allocated staff where relevant, in line with the Trust’s line management protocols. · Contribute collaboratively to the wider management and development of the school. · Contribute collaboratively to the wider development of SEN best practice across the Trust. · Always comply with Trust policies and procedures; including, but not limited to, Safeguarding, Health and Safety and employment policies. · Work within the Trust’s Equality and Diversity Policy to promote equality of opportunity for all students and staff, both current and prospective. · Maintain high professional standards of attendance, punctuality, and conduct; and maintain positive, courteous relations with students, parents and colleagues. · Engage actively in the appraisal and performance review process, and in relevant continuing professional development. · Be willing to travel to the Trust’s schools and other sites as needed. Job descriptions only reflect 80% of a role and are not an exhaustive list of duties. You are expected to carry out other activities that are within the scope of the role. The job description will be kept under review and modified from time to time. Qualifications 1. Qualified teacher status. 2. National Award for SEN Co-ordination, or a willingness to complete it. 3. Knowledge of regulations around education and children with special educational needs, including SEND Regulations 2014 the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Code of Practice. 4. A sound understanding of autism, its implications for education. 5. Knowledge of safeguarding responsibilities.